Crimson Action

I love a good action platformer. Shovel Knight was one of my top games of the year when it released and really showed off the fact that old school platformers can still be a great genre to dive into. Flynn: Son of Crimson is yet another reason why the action platformer genre is still a great game style.

Players control Flynn, a young villager who has a pet dog. This pet dog has a special type of magic flowing through it that unfortunately, gets sucked out. What Flynn doesn’t know is that this magic along with the magic inside of him, makes him very special. He then journeys around the land trying to reclaim this magical energy.

Platforms: XB, PS, Switch, PC
MSRP: $19.99
Price I’d pay: $19.99

Simple story, but it’s there and plays out much like how most would expect, but what really makes Flynn stand out is its moment-to-moment gameplay. The game is a 2D, sprite-based platformer where players will have Flynn exploring areas, fighting enemies, and collecting gems that double as a currency. Mostly a simple concept all in all, but the execution is what really drives it home.

Flynn uses a standard slash attack for most combos, but through upgrading, can unlock even flashier moves that cover a lot of distance as well as do more damage. There is a dedicated dodge button that gives Flynn some very generous invincibility frames. You see, enemies will always flash for a second before doing an attack. Flynn isn’t damaged by touching enemies, only by getting hit by their animations after the flash so this game is reliant on the dodge mechanic. If I dodge before getting it by a flashing animation, I don’t get damaged. It turns a monotonous hack ‘n slash game into a faster paced, but strategic action game that keeps players on their toes.

There is a deliberateness to the overall game that really sets it up well. This game needs to be played how the developers wanted it to be played rather than how the player wants to play it. One thing that took me a long time to get used to was the fact that attacking while jumping forward would pause all my momentum and begin an air attack. Flynn would then fall straight down to the ground from there. It took me a longer time to get used to that than I would have liked, but that’s how the combat is. I would be lying if I didn’t say I fell into multiple pits and hazards because of it.

Many levels Flynn goes through will have multiple exits. This will then lead the player to a different part of the overworld map much like Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World. This also plays into the slight Metroidvania feel where there will be new areas to discover once I have obtained a way to reach a new exit in a level.

Back in the hub town, I could use all the currency to purchase upgrades for moves and learn new skills that could increase my healing revisor or extend my combo attacks. It’s all simple, but really adds a bit more depth to the game.

The 2D animations and look of the game is fantastic. It gives off that 8-16 bit feel while keeping things detailed enough to be a modern game. The music is another standout that blends both the old school feel with a bit of modernness to it.

Flynn: Son of Crimson is just a solid game. It has all the charm I would expect from these games, but also backs it all up with tight controls and some interesting combat mechanics. Thrown in some exploration and nice upgrades in for good measure, and you have yourself a great action platformer that any fan of Shovel Knight would enjoy.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.